In the construction of patio covers and carports, it is common to use elongated roll-formed aluminum roof panels which are prepainted and have a serpentine or corrugated cross-sectional configuration. The edge portions of adjacent panels overlap and are secured together, and the assembled panels are supported by a framework, usually consisting of one or more cross beams supported by vertical posts or attached to the outer wall of an existing building. The corrugated roof panels are inclined to form a shed-like roof, and usually a rain gutter is mounted on the lower end portions of the roof panels to receive water flowing down the parallel valley portions of the roof panels. The rain gutter is commonly roll-formed from aluminum sheet and has an open top box-like cross-sectional figuration with parallel inner and outer walls integrally connected by a flat bottom wall.
The outer wall of the gutter extends over the ends of the roof panels and has an inwardly projecting flange which is secured by fasteners to the ridge portions of the corrugated roof panels. The inner wall of the gutter also has an inwardly projecting flange secured to the valley portions of the roof panels with only a small gap between the outer wall of the gutter and the ends of the roof panels so that water will flow from the roof panels into the gutter. However, this conventional roof panel and gutter assembly is undesirable in that leaves, bark, twigs and other debris collect in the lower ends of the valley portions of the roof panels and the attached gutter and must be manually removed from time to time, depending upon the amount of debris produced by adjacent tress.
Since the rain gutter is commonly used to block off or cover the corrugated ends of the roof panels, it is difficult to use a gutter screen or other gutter cover with corrugated roof panels. Accordingly, it is desirable for the gutter to be located outwardly from the ends of the corrugated roof panels so that the open top gutter is easily accessible for cleaning. It is also desirable for the open top gutter to be made sufficiently large in order for debris to be washed down the gutter and down the downspouts onto the ground, thereby minimizing the need for cleaning the gutters.
One form of large open top gutter for an inclined shed-type roof is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,565,282 wherein the gutter is formed as part of a roof support frame and is constructed of a relatively heavy gauge sheet metal. However, this form of frame and gutter system is expensive. Another form of gutter support for an inclined roof assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,109. In this patent, the roof is constructed with parallel spaced "I" beams with channel-like sheet metal panels (FIG. 6) positioned between the beams. The outer end portions of the "I" beams project from the outer ends of the sheet metal panels into the gutter (FIG. 7) to support the outer wall of an extruded aluminum rain gutter.
With any such inclined patio cover or carport roof having a rain gutter attachment, it is desirable for the roof and gutter assembly to be durable and economically constructed while also being neat and clean in appearance, and the gutter should be self-cleaning or at least easily accessible for cleaning. With corrugated roof panels, it is also desirable to eliminate a habitat for birds under the ridge portions of the corrugations and to prevent the entrance the birds, squirrels and insects into the space below the roof panels, especially when the space is enclosed by screen walls or windows.